1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hand tools. Particularly, the present invention relates to hand tools and tethering of the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is a generally accepted safety practice to secure a workman's tools in some manner when working from a ladder or above ground level. Over the years different types of devices for preventing the accidental dropping and/or loss of a tool and a tool accessory have been attempted when working in overhead situations. A dropped tool or tool accessory could be hazardous for personnel working below or the dropped tool or tool accessory could potentially damage a vital piece of equipment. This can occur when the tool is mishandled, bumped, or jarred, becoming dislodged from the users hand and free to fall to whatever is beneath the worker. In some cases, this can be a passerby, another worker or even vital plant equipment.
Typically, the tools are secured to the worker with a tether or in a holster of some sort. Generally, tethers are lightweight, optionally retractable, and have light duty snap hooks at each end for snap connection to the tool and to the worker's belt or harness. Some such tethers even use plastic snaps. In some cases a loop is formed around the workers wrist with the free end having a snap connectable to a tool. Others have disclosed the use of hook and loop type fasteners to secure the tool to the workers hand. The use of such safety tethers and lanyards is becoming increasingly necessary, especially in industrial centers where workers are constantly exposed to the hazards of falling tools, sometimes from many feet.
Many attempts have been made to secure tools to tethers and users. Some are successful and easy to use while others are makeshift and lack the quality needed to sustain heavier tools. Devices have been created to allow for lanyard attachment to hand tools. Some devices include using eye hooks, or D-rings with webbing secured by tape or heat shrink tubing. Other devices are tubular and used over the butt end of screw drivers and other tools with handles such as, for example, pliers, hammers, cutters, etc. These tubular devices are normally heat shrinkable onto the tool or are self-insertable device made of a resilient material that provides a suction force when the tool handle or butt end is inserted into the tubular device. The suction force created upon insertion of the tool into the tubular device prevents the tool from being easily pulled out or separated from the tubular device.
One such device is a bracelet type tool drop preventing device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application JP08-108538 and published as JP09-272077. Drawing 5 of the Japanese patent application discloses a screwdriver with a rotary ring that is attached to the screwdriver using a rubber stopper.
In some cases, provisions are made on the tool itself for making such attachments. In most cases when tools are provided with an eyelet, however, it is typically provided as a means for storing on a wall hook or the like.
Therefore, what is needed is a system that will retrofit a hand tool for coupling to a tool lanyard or tether.